Improvement in horse hay-porks



` To all whom 'it may concern.-

i amat smc @tutti @Wim AND Josera zi Lieren, 0F SAME PLACE.

Letters PdteatNo.104,365, dated June 14, 1870.

IMPROVEMENT N HORSE HAY-FORKS. -*40N* The Schedule referred to in these Letters' Patent and making part of the'same Bc it known that I, AMos SHELLENBERGER, of Versailles, in the county of Darke and in the State 0f Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improve! ments in Horse Hay-Forks; and do hereby 4declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof', reference being had to the accompanying drawing and to the letters of reference marked vthereon making a part of this specification.

lhc Anature of my inventioueonsists in the construction of a horse hay-fork, the tine of which' is 1shaped like a screw, and is provided with ara'tchet which prevents it from discharging its load untilit is tripped, as will hereaftcrbe more fully setforth and explained.

Figure 1 is a side elevation of' myiuvention. Figure 2 is a plan view of the ratchet. Letter A represents the frame .to awhich the fork B is attached, aud which has two sharppointed tines C, extending downs 'ardronc on each side of the fork,- l which serve not only as a guide to direct the fork in rising and falling, but also serves to prevent the hay from slipping cli' the screw, while being raised.

The fork B consistsof along, tapering, sharp-pointcd metal bar, which is shaped like a screw, and has its upper end secured iu 'the guide D by means of the nut a.

Near the top ot the screw there is secured-a round plate, G, which has its top cut `so as to form a ratchet,

p into which the dog H catches, so as to. prevent the screw iiom turning around after it has been...driven into the load.

'lhis dog `consists of a metal rod, which passes downward through the guide D, havingvits lower end shaped so that the ratchet ca n turn freely in one direction,

` but not in the opposite one, and has a small lug formed on its side, which catches against a small shoulder A formedou the inside of the opening in the guide, through which the dog passes, so as to prevent the fork from-falling further than just the length of' the cord F, which connects the dog to the frame A.

moved toone side by the trip-eord L, which is tied to Y its upper end. g

The guide D consists of 'a flat metal plate, extend- .ng from .tine to tine, on which it slides, and has a `notch cut inits top, in which the catch I hooks, so as to support the fork.

When it is desired to load the fork, the whole frame is dropped upon the hay, when the fork is turned until it has taken up a suiiicientv load, when the hoisting power is applied to the rope N. After it has been raised to a sntiicient height, the trip-cord is pulled, which loesens the guide D and allows the load toY fall to the length of the cord F, when theweight alone, will be suilieient to cause the fork to revolve and drop the load;

Having thus described my invention,

What I claim, and `,desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The cross-head D, carrying the spiral fork B, and

sliding upon the tines G C, its downward motion being.

checked by the lugged or shouldered dog H and cord I, substantially as herein set forth.

2. In combination with the sliding `cross-head D, the catch I, spring c, and trip-rope L, substantially as and for'the purposes herein set forth.

3. The combination and arrangement of-the frame v A, tines G O, cross-head D, screw B, ratchet G, dog H,

and catch I, with their cords F LN, all substantially as and for the purposes herein set forth. l 1u testimony that I claim the foregoing, I have here unto set my 'hand this 2nd day of October,'1869.

' AMOS SHELLEN BERGER.

'Witnesses JOSEPH Z. LIGIER, FRANCIS KUsNtoK. 

